Mkercha Religions
The Mkercha Religions '''are a collection of related religions found North of the Okuti Mountains along the Alem-Karfi river. They are all essentially monotheistic, following the God Yal (or Yelam). The religions are diverse, but connected in there belief of being descended from 10 men and their wives who came from the jungles to the South of the Okuti Mountains after being placed there by God. The many children of these people then split off and travelled their separate ways, creating the different peoples of the world. Ten of those sons, lead by Ochi followed a great river West and then North, coming to the Okuti Mountains. At the mountains they found wives from women hiding in a cave from a wild boar. Together, the 20 people crossed the mountains, finding fertile grasslands. It was there that God taught them to till the Earth and to farm. Variations Most scholars in Hada consider there to be 19 distinct Mkercha religions, although there is significant variation within those, and many people take elements of one religions and elements of another, making it hard to categorise. Some Western varieties, such as Laran (West coast), are somewhat polytheistic, in Laran's case, considering the moon to be the wife of God Yal, and the stars and planets to be other Gods or spirits. Studying of these religions is of particular intererest to the river nation of Hada, whose borders contain six large Mkercha religious groups, as well as two non-Mkercha groups. Descent from Ten Sons Many ethnic groups claim descent from one of the ten sons who crossed the mountain, or the children of those sons. It is common for members of those groups to even adopt the son's name as a surname. The names and attributes of the ten sons and their wives varies somewhat among religions, but generally follow the same pattern. In the most common religion, Anyawu, found in the East, the names are as follows: * '''Ochi, leader of the group, known for strength; married to Awa Nanye * Asiwok, brother of Ochi, known for loyalty; married to Awa Emnayi * Eliki, known for faith; married to Awa Han * Magaba, known for intelligence; married to Awa Negan * Nitinye Dan, brother of Magaba, known for stupidity; married to Awa Niken * Dober, brother of Magaba, known for obedience; married to Awa Nukwu * Kin, known for humour and friendliness; married to Awa Ufiop * Halan, '''known for love and emotion; married to Awa Nayi * '''Kola, known for skill and agility; married to Awa Wakporo * Makan, known for betrayal and rebellion; married to Awa Echiniki Note: "Awa" means 'wife', but is used as a prefix exclusively for important or religious women. Betrayal of Makan The Betrayal of Makan is an important story in Mkercha mythology. The story says that Makan, the youngest of the 10, had grown tired of being ruled by Ochi. One day in the night, he took a knife and attempted to kill him in his sleep. However he was stopped by Ochi's son Nalich. Makan was imprisoned, before being exiled to the desert. In grief, his wife Awa Echiniki cried day and night, causing the creation of the river Alem-Karfi (Karfi being the name of Echiniki in one religion). It has thus become tradition that widows would go to the river to cry and grieve for 5 days after their husband dies. The story has had significant political legacy. Several countries have a tradition of exiling traitors and murderers to the desert, where they will usually die. Invasion of the Lake Many religions feature the Invasion of the Lake. After the exile of Makan, the tribe had grown wary and divisive. As a result, they had begun to lose their faith and discontinue prayer and worship. As punishment, Yal sent down a curse upon the women of the tribe, that they would only bear sons so the tribe would die out. Twenty years later, Nalich, the new leader of the tribe, decided that something must be done due to the lack of women in the new generation. He took the best fighters of the tribe, and travelled East along the river, to a great lake. It was there that they found another tribe, considered in some religions to be the descendants of the exiled Makan. They attacked and killed the men of the tribe, and took the women back to the others. With these women, the tribe continued.